Michael Jackson saved Mark Sanford
South Carolina governor Mark Sanford appeared in the state building to hold a news conference last Wednesday, after a week long disappearance from public eyes.
Sanford’s disappearance alone is enough to make a hot topic in the news media, especially when his family didn’t know where he was. During the conference on Wednesday, he made the hot topic explosive by unveiling his extramarital affairs and his meeting with his mistress during his disappearance.
Since last Wednesday, the main stream media had prepared to focus their cameras on Sanford. His political rivals were also ready to make a heavy punch on him and his party. Unfortunately, Michael Jackson passed away unexpectedly on Thursday. The media immediately shifted entire focus to Jackson’s death. All TV channels commenced non-stop coverage on Jackson, even during evening prime time. Mark Sandford suddenly disappeared again from public eyes, along with his scandal this time.
This is the second time for the news media to cover a death in such massive way in the recent decade. Last time was for Regan. Needless to say, Regan made far greater contributions to global wealth and global well-being. Nevertheless, to say Jackson was more influential in the world is of no exaggeration. Reagan had changed more people’s life than anyone in the modern age, but more people in the world remembered Jackson’s name.
This is power of music.
Undoubtedly, Sanford is an important political figure in the US. He has done something which could have a significant impact on nation’s politics. But it is still not sufficient to compete in media with the news of a pop star’s death. This appears to suggest, in the human society, influences of a popular culture far exceed what any politics could have; the cultural influences not only can widespread but also may last for a long time.